Paddy walks Offa's Dyke, for Tay's Tribe
Patrick Howlett is raising money for Brain Tumour Research
In memory of Taylan Kurtul
Story
Walking Offa's Dyke - 8 August 2025 to 22 August 2025
My Story
In August, my challenge is to walk Offa's Dyke with my sister Mary and her husband Tim. The walk is 177 miles from Chepstow on the Severn Estuary to Prestatyn on the North Wales coast.
I have chosen to walk in memory of Taylan Kurtul and to raise money for
'Tay's Tribe' and Brain Tumour Research.
Tay's Story
Tay was a beautiful, bright and sporty little boy who had so much love for his family and friends. He was always full of life, always curious and loved to make people laugh. Devastatingly, that all changed on 30th of May 2023. Taylan was diagnosed with an aggressive brain Tumour called medulloblastoma. He started with symptoms of headaches, blurred vision and unsteady walking only 9 days before he was diagnosed. He bravely underwent surgery, 5 weeks of radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy. Despite this gruelling treatment heartbreakingly Tay lost his life 8 months later aged just 6 years old.
I first met Tay when his family moved to Broughton Astley early in 2019.
During that summer, while I was doing some landscaping work in their garden, Tay became my 'little friend'. He was always so excited to see me when I arrived on my tractor and trailer and would call "Paddy Paddy" with that cheeky smile. Trying to work, he was always there chatting away asking what I was doing and why. Admittedly, some of the time he was talking to the back of my head because I had to get on, but that would never deter him.
Later when he went to school he was class mates with my granddaughter Emily and they very soon became the best of friends, Emily telling us that one day they would be married. Sadly we will never know.
Sponsorship will help fund essential brain tumour research in the hope that we can prevent such devastating loss for other families in the future.
Please follow our progress by looking out for updates on my Facebook page